The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-10
sMI TIL w ESTMORELAND.

Trouble as Told by the Former.
The Athens Banner Waterman has in
terviewed Col Smith again on the dueling
sensation. Following is an extract:
What is the history of your trouble with
DR.. Westmorelandgn we asked
81 will recount it, but not for publica-
| ton, as the press all over the country will
be ringing chestnut bells on me For the
| first five years after my camp was eStab-
lshed no complaints were ever heard or
made of the place Gov Coquitt, in his
message TO the Legislature and John W.
helms, Principal Keeper of the Georgia
Penitentiary, in his report to the Governor,
said that the Oglethorpe branch camp was
the best managed of any camp in the
State of Georgia or in the United
States. Then came Gov. Mcdaniel, who
after being in office for more than year
made bold to say that the Oglethorpe branch
penitentiary was managed in the most adj
mirable manner. | afterward became a
member of the State Senate, and while in
the discharge of my duty cast some votes
which greatly displeased certain gentlemen
who are supposed to have had DR.. West
moreland appointed From this time it
seemed to have been the doctors programme
to give my camp bad name He became
angered ever since his attack on me failed
Gov. Mcdaniel saw through the game, and
dismissed and pronounced untrue the
charge against me, and then restated that
the management of my camp was the
best. Mr. Shubrick has always refused
to lend his aid to the scheme, and has not
heSitated to denounce any SANDER ON this
camp. He knows more about it than any
other pententiary official, and is fair and
square man. To vindicato my character
and prove there was nothing wrong about
my camp, it became my unpleasant duty TO
publish certain certificates showing that Dr.
WeStmoreland was not in a condition to be
proper judge at the time he saw my CON
victs, but on the other hand was very drunk.
These certificates, together with other in
formation in regard to the condition and
treatment of my Convicts, not only vindi-
Gated myself, but angered DR. WeStmore-
land, as it after wards tIanspired. He
was very slow about showing it, however.
1t was nine months or more after this arti-
Gle had been published that DR.. Westmore-
lands friend, {. Ii. Williams, called on me
with polite request that | step outside the
limits OF the State that he might deliver to
me a communication from DIR. Westmore-
land | am plain farmer and not ac-
customed to affairs of honor, but remember
hearing something about the code duellO
giving party twice as long to answer hos
tile communication as the offended party
took to notice the matter, and so informed
not deny this fact. | was very busy with
my farm at that time, and have been ever
since. But | rested easy, for | still have
about a year to frame my answer. But.then
you see that Buncey matter and the meet
ing of the Legislature bobbed up, and so the
rules of the code were violated with the
hope of attracting the attention of the
public from the real issue at stake. This
is the true inwardnesS of the whole
matter DR.. Westmoreland's course is en-
tirely without the pale of the code. The
programme is to goad me into raging or
do something that will counterfeit the eff
fectS of the Buncey letter and give my en-
emieS a weapon 30 Use against myself and
the other convict lessees. But | hardly
think will furnish it just at this time. Dr.
WestmOreland and Buncey must go down in
history hand in hand They are inseparable
as the Siamese twins. / cannot permit
Buncey to be ignored or forgotten"
'Do you object to stating what you will
do in regard to DR.. Westmorelands card?'
we asked.
at will be attended to at the proper time
and in manner l feel assured will be en-
tirely satisfactory to my friends and to the
good people of the State. | am busy Just
now laying by my crop, and this must first
be attended to. In the meantime do not
think that my reputation will suffer much
at the hands of Buncey and DIR. Westmore-
land. Everything viii come out all right"
We found and left Col. Smith as serene as
a May morning He was not the least dis
turbed by DIR. Westmoreland's card,
for Col. Smith knows that he is
entrenched by the confidence and re
spect of every one who knows him,
and as to his reputation for courage, it has
long been established. What course he will
take in answer TO DIR. Westmoreland's de-
nunciation we are not prepared to say, but
his friends well know that at the proper
time he will be heard from, and in a manner
to satisfactorily vindicate himself Col.
Smith is a cool, clear-headed, brave man,
who is too shrewd to be led off by passion
from what he considers the right course.